This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Projected Starters -- A look at Wednesday's matchups (all times Eastern)Royals (Jason Vargas -- L) at Tigers (Max Scherzer -- R), 1:08
Braves (Aaron Harang -- R) at Brewers (Matt Garza -- R), 1:10
Twins (Kevin Correia -- R) at White Sox (Felipe Paulino -- R), 2:10
Indians (Corey Kluber -- R) at Athletics (Scott Kazmir -- L), 3:35 (Game 1)
Red Sox (John Lackey -- R) at Orioles (Ubaldo Jimenez -- R), 7:05
Cubs (Edwin Jackson -- R) at Pirates (Charlie Morton -- R), 7:05
Rockies (Jordan Lyles -- R) at Marlins (Henderson Alvarez -- R), 7:10
Cardinals (Michael Wacha -- R) at Reds (Tony Cingrani -- L), 7:10
Blue Jays (Mark Buehrle -- L) at Rays (Matt Moore -- L), 7:10
Nationals (Gio Gonzalez -- L) at Mets (Bartolo Colon -- R), 7:10
Phillies (Kyle Kendrick -- R) at Rangers (Robbie Ross -- L), 8:05
Yankees (Hiroki Kuroda -- R) at Astros (Jarred Cosart -- R), 8:10
Indians (Zach McAllister -- R) at Athletics (Josh Lindblom), 9:00 (Game 2)
Giants (Tim Hudson -- R) at Diamondbacks (Trevor Cahill -- R), 9:40
Mariners (James Paxton -- L) at Angels (Hector Santiago -- L), 10:05
Dodgers (Dan Haren -- R) at Padres (Tyson Ross -- R), 10:10
Day Game After Night Game: ATL/MIL, CLE/OAK
Injuries
Day-To-Day
Mike Aviles, 2B, CLE (back) -- Started in left field Tuesday.
David DeJesus, OF, TB (foot) -- Held out of the lineup Tuesday after he was struck on the foot by a pickoff attempt Monday night.
Charlie Furbush, RP, SEA (leg) -- Sustained bruise on his leg Opening Day but was believed to be available to pitch Tuesday.
Sonny Gray, SP, OAK (ankle) -- Feeling fine after taking liner to ankle during Monday's Opening Day start.
Alex Guerrero, 2B, LAD (oblique) -- Dealing with a pulled muscle on his side and not currently listed on Triple-A Albuquerque roster.
Howie Kendrick, 2B, LAA (arm) -- Returned to the lineup Tuesday against the Mariners after he was hit by a pitch Monday.
Daniel Murphy, 2B, NYM (personal) -- Is slated to go on paternity leave due to the birth of his son Monday.
Justin Ruggiano, OF, CHC (ankle) -- Did not start Monday's opener due to ankle soreness, but should be ready to go Wednesday.
Players on the DL
Jonathan Broxton, RP, CIN (elbow) -- Was expected to pitch an inning at extended spring training Tuesday.
Yu Darvish, SP, TEX (neck) -- Completed an 86-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, but the Rangers will wait and see how he recovers before setting forth a return timetable.
Dane De La Rosa, RP, LAA (forearm) -- Threw from flat ground for several minutes Tuesday. Will pitch simulated game Wednesday.
Rafael Furcal, SS, MIA (hamstring) -- Targeting an Apr. 14 return to the lineup.
Craig Gentry, OF, OAK (back) -- Will have rehab put on hold for a few days with his wife set to give birth.
Matt Kemp, OF, LAD (ankle) -- Could be able to play Friday, according to manager Don Mattingly.
Clayton Kershaw, SP, LAD (back) -- Will be placed on a submaximal rehab program from the next two-to-three weeks and will be evaluated thereafter.
Ed Lucas, 3B, MIA (hand) -- Will require surgery to insert a pin Wednesday and is expected to require five-to-seven weeks of recovery time.
Sean Marshall, RP, CIN (shoulder) -- Will pitch an inning at extended spring training Friday.
Jon Niese, SP, NYM (elbow) -- Threw 76 pitches over a five-inning simulated game Tuesday.
Bobby Parnell, RP, NYM (elbow) -- Diagnosed with a partial tear of the MCL in his right elbow.
Wilson Ramos, C, WAS (hand) -- Will likely undergo hamate bone surgery on his left hand Wednesday, which would keep him out 4-to-8 weeks.
Jose Reyes, SS, TOR (hamstring) -- MRI on Tuesday revealed mild inflammation.
Joe Wieland, SP, SD (elbow) -- Has embarked upon range-of-motion activities.
Transactions -- Players who have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.
Placed on DL (15-day, unless otherwise noted)
Jose Reyes, SS, TOR
Brendan Ryan, SS, NYY
Called Up (from Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
Jonathan Diaz, SS, TOR
Daniel McCutchen, RP, TEX
Yangervis Solarte, 2B, NYY
Sent Down (to Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
Michael Kirkman, RP, TEX
Designated For Assignment
Chris Gimenez, C, TEX
Eduardo Nunez, SS, NYY
Closer Watch
Milwaukee Brewers -- Although Jim Henderson was dropped as the Brewers' closer in the opener in favor of Francisco Rodriguez, manager Ron Roenicke reiterated Tuesday that Henderson is still viewed as a ninth-inning option down the road. "Ideally, I would like to get him a couple outings where the game wasn't on the line," Roenicke said. "I'm not saying we can do that because if he has to pitch in a game where it's an inning I need him to pitch, then he'll pitch. We want him as a closer. That's what we want." Fantasy owners are encouraged to hold on to Henderson while he attempts to dig himself out of Roenicke's doghouse.
New York Mets -- After taking a blown save in Monday's season opener against the Phillies in which he was working well below his normal velocity, Parnell experienced forearm tightness after the outing and visited a doctor Tuesday. He was ultimately diagnosed with a partial tear in the MCL of his right elbow, and will now rest the next two weeks before being reevaluated, with Tommy John surgery not being ruled out. It's certainly a discouraging development for Parnell's fantasy owners, but not necessarily an unexpected one since he had been struggling with his velocity all spring. In the meantime, Jose Valverde looks to be the top candidate to close for the Mets. Valverde was exceptional in a setup role for Parnell on Monday, striking out three batters in 1.1 innings of work.
Hot Batter Matchups – April 2, 2014Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| I. Kinsler | 2B | DET vs KC 1:08PM | J. Vargas | 32 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | .344 | .400 | .594 | .994 |
| A. Gordon | OF | KC @ DET 1:08PM | M. Scherzer | 18 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | .389 | .522 | .611 | 1.133 |
| R. Braun | OF | MIL vs ATL 1:10PM | A. Harang | 29 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 8 | .241 | .333 | .552 | .885 |
| L. Overbay | 1B | MIL vs ATL 1:10PM | A. Harang | 24 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .458 | .500 | .667 | 1.167 |
| A. Ramirez | 3B | MIL vs ATL 1:10PM | A. Harang | 63 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 7 | .333 | .358 | .619 | .977 |
| C. Davis | 1B | BAL vs BOS 7:05PM | J. Lackey | 17 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | .471 | .526 | .765 | 1.291 |
| N. Markakis | OF | BAL vs BOS 7:05PM | J. Lackey | 42 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | .357 | .438 | .476 | .914 |
| J. Gomes | OF | BOS @ BAL 7:05PM | U. Jimenez | 12 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | .417 | .462 | .917 | 1.378 |
| A. Pierzynski | C | BOS @ BAL 7:05PM | U. Jimenez | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .667 | .917 |
| A. McCutchen | OF | PIT vs CHC 7:05PM | E. Jackson | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .273 | .385 | .818 | 1.203 |
| G. Jones | 1B | MIA vs COL 7:10PM | J. Lyles | 12 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | .500 | .500 | 1.083 | 1.583 |
| I. Davis | 1B | NYM vs WAS 7:10PM | G. Gonzalez | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .400 | .455 | .800 | 1.255 |
| J. Molina | C | TB vs TOR 7:10PM | M. Buehrle | 23 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .348 | .375 | .522 | .897 |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Hot Pitcher Matchups – April 2, 2014Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Scott Kazmir | OAK vs CLE 3:35PM | 79 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 19 | .139 | .209 | .209 | .418 |
| Edwin Jackson | CHC @ PIT 7:05PM | 69 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | .188 | .255 | .325 | .580 |
| Dan Haren | LAD @ SD 10:10PM | 126 | 34 | 12 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 29 | .270 | .287 | .406 | .693 |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Cold Batter Matchups – April 2, 2014Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| R. Davis | OF | DET vs KC 1:08PM | J. Vargas | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .091 | .167 | .091 | .258 |
| A. Jackson | OF | DET vs KC 1:08PM | J. Vargas | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .143 | .133 | .143 | .276 |
| M. Moustakas | 3B | KC @ DET 1:08PM | M. Scherzer | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .071 | .071 | .071 | .143 |
| D. Valencia | DH | KC @ DET 1:08PM | M. Scherzer | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .182 | .167 | .273 | .439 |
| J. Upton | OF | ATL @ MIL 1:10PM | M. Garza | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .200 | .200 | .300 | .500 |
| M. Reynolds | 1B | MIL vs ATL 1:10PM | A. Harang | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | .167 | .231 | .500 | .731 |
| D. Murphy | OF | CLE @ OAK 3:35PM | S. Kazmir | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| N. Swisher | 1B | CLE @ OAK 3:35PM | S. Kazmir | 32 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | .156 | .229 | .250 | .479 |
| N. Cruz | OF | BAL vs BOS 7:05PM | J. Lackey | 24 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | .250 | .280 | .250 | .530 |
| A. Jones | OF | BAL vs BOS 7:05PM | J. Lackey | 29 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | .207 | .226 | .276 | .502 |
| R. Martin | C | PIT vs CHC 7:05PM | E. Jackson | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .273 | .200 | .473 |
| C. Granderson | OF | NYM vs WAS 7:10PM | G. Gonzalez | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .125 | .176 | .313 | .489 |
| D. DeJesus | OF | TB vs TOR 7:10PM | M. Buehrle | 78 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | .179 | .220 | .244 | .463 |
| W. Venable | OF | SD vs LAD 10:10PM | D. Haren | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Cold Pitcher Matchups – April 2, 2014Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jason Vargas | KC @ DET 1:08PM | 104 | 30 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 15 | .288 | .361 | .500 | .861 |
| Aaron Harang | ATL @ MIL 1:10PM | 179 | 54 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 35 | .302 | .351 | .504 | .855 |
| John Lackey | BOS @ BAL 7:05PM | 153 | 46 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 41 | .301 | .346 | .390 | .736 |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Recommended Pickup
Francisco Rodriguez, RP, MIL -- While the write-up above would seem to suggest Jim Henderson is still the Brewers reliever to own for the long haul, Rodriguez still holds plenty of appeal as a pickup in deeper leagues. Rodriguez isn't anywhere close to the dynamite fireman he was with the Angels in the mid-to-late aughts, but he experience something of a resurgence while splitting last season between Milwaukee and Baltimore, finishing with a 54:14 K:BB and 2.70 ERA over 46.2 innings of work. His control has historically shown to betray him at times and may inflate his WHIP figure a bit, but even on the downslope of his career, he still offers above-average potential in strikeouts. And, most importantly, he'll be gathering the save opportunities for the Brewers until further notice.
Other recent recommendations:Grady Sizemore and Oswaldo Arcia
DraftStreet Value Picks
SP: Zach McAllister, CLE ($14,148)
C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, MIA ($5,727)
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, ARI ($6,823)
2B: Anthony Rendon, WAS ($5,058)
SS: Xander Bogaerts, BOS ($5,961)
3B: Brett Lawrie, TOR ($5,997)
OF: Alejandro De Aza, CWS ($6,785)
